Survey: 90% of US teens use AI chatbots, emotional use tied to worse mental health

On November 6, 2026, Futurism reported on a new survey from the mental health advocacy group JED Foundation focusing on American teenagers aged 9 to 17. According to the findings, 90 percent of respondents in this age group have used an AI chatbot. In terms of how they use it, 58 percent said they use AI for schoolwork, 57 percent said they turn to it when feeling sad, stressed, lonely, or overwhelmed, and 12 percent said they use AI to seek friendship or companionship.

The survey also reported an association between these usage patterns and poorer mental health outcomes as well as suicidal ideation. Anne Maheux, a developmental psychologist at the University of Rhode Island, noted in the report that only a few years ago almost no one was using AI, whereas teenagers have since flocked to it in large numbers, both for schoolwork and for emotional support. Futurism framed the trend as children turning to machine confidantes that may be doing more harm than good.